Composition for producing lachrymating gases



Dec. 15. 1925- D. B. BRADNER COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCING LACHRYMATINGGASES PRODUCTI 0N. OF LACHRYMATING GASES Filed May 5, 1924 Patented Dec.15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

DONALD B. BRADNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, I PENNSYLVANIA.

COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCING LACHRYMATm'G GASES. 7

Application filed May 3,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD B. BRADNER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the countyof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Composition for Producing Lachrymatmg Gases, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a composition for producing effectiveconcentrations of lachrymating gases in non-persistent form.

Among the objects of this invention is the production of a compositionby which effect ive concentrations of lachrymating gases may be producedwithout wasting a large amount of the lachrymator and without renderingthe ground or structures in the vicinity where said lachrymating gasesare generated untenable for periods of time beyond which lachrymation isdesired.

A further object of this invention is to form a composition of alachrymating agent such as chloracetophenone, bromacetophenone,iodoacetophenone, etc. with a fuel of the type such as nitrocellulose,nitroglycerine or black powder. These halogen derivatives ofacetophenone will produce irritation and lachrymation when persons areexposed thereto for a period of three minutes in concentration muchbelow 0.01 milligram per liter/ A further object of this invention is toproduce a composition which is practicable for use by the police ingeneration of lachrymating gases for dispersing mobs and other unlawfulgatherings.

In practicing my invention I prefer to use chloracetophenone and I forman intimate mixture of chloracetophenone with a fuel, which is capableof burning and liberating a suflicient volume of hot gases to volatilizethe lachrymator. This fuel may be a mixture of some oxidizing andreducing agent, such as ammonium nitrate and charcoal or else a materiallike nitrocellulose wherein each molecule contains both oxidizing andreducing elements. 'I may also mix an excess of the lachrymator with anoxidizing agent sothat the latter will oxidize a, part of thelachrymator and 7 thereby generate sufficient heat to volatilize theremainder of the lachrymatorf It is highly desirable to avoid or atleastminimize as far as possible decomposition of the evolved lachrymator,and in order to ac- 1924. Serial No. 710,736.

complish this result I not only thoroughly distribute the fuelthroughout the lachrymator but adjust the proportion of lachrymator tofuel so that a suflicient amount of heat will be absorbed by evaporationof the lachrymator to revent an excessive rise in temperature. Sincecombustion of such fuels as nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine proceedsreadily at comparatively low temperatures, these fuels-have been foundmost satisfactory in practicing my invention.

In using nitrocellulose and chloracetophenone for this purpose, theproportions may vary from 1 to 5 parts of nitrocellulose for 1 part ofchloraceto henone.

If a mixture is prepared rom chloracetophenone and nitrocellulose andallowed to stand for a time before using, there is a tendency for slowdecomposition to.develop and in order to overcome or counteract thiseffect, I sta'bilize such mixtures by adding thereto an anti-acid suchGaCO MgCO MgO and ZnO. If MgO is employed as a stabilizer it shouldpreferably vary from about 8 to 12% of the weight of chloracetophenoneused in the mixture.

In using my composition, it is placed in a suitable container andsuitable means provided for igniting the composition. In theaccompanying drawing there is shown a smoke candle which is a specificform of device adapted for use with my composition. This device is shownpart in elevation and part in section and consists of a can (1)containing the mixture (2) of chloracetophenone, nitrocellulose and MgOas a stabilizer. Above the mixture (2) is the starter composition whichis in contact with the tip (4) of the safety fuse (5). This tip (4) mayconsist of meal powder which is bound to the fuse with acelluloid-acetonecompo sition. Above 'the starter is steel wool (6). Atthe top of the can are the cover discs (7 and (8) provided with openings(9) and (10), respectively, which allow the escape of the exit gases. I

In making this candle, the chloracetophenone, nitrocellulose and MgO arethoroughly mixed and tamped into the container. A satisfactory mixtureconsists of 7 parts of chloracetophenone to 13 parts of nitrocelluloseand 1 part of MgO; Acetone is poured uniformly over the top of themixture in suflicient amount to thoroughly moisten the mixture for adepth of about to 1 inch and the acetone allowedto evaporate, thusproducing a hard, compact .surface on the mixture. The startercomposition is then spread over the top of the mixture, a layer of toinch of starter mixture being sufficient for most purposes. A suitablestarter composition for this purpose is a powdery mixture of about equalparts of-reduced iron and KMnO steel wool is then placed upon thestarter composition and the discs (7) and ('8) are then secured to thetop of the can. A small opening leading to the starter composition ismade in the steel Wool and the tipped fuse is positioned as shown in thedrawing.

The candle is operated by igniting the fuse which, after a delay,ignites the starter composition, and this in turn ignites thechloracetophenone-nitrocellulose-magne-' sium oxide mixture. As thenitrocellulose of'this mixture burns, the hot gases volatilize thechloracetophenone which becomes entrained with the combustion gases andthe gaseous mixture passes out of the openings (9) and (10). Sincenitrocellulose and also nitroglycerine burn under these conditions attemperatures below that at which substantial decomposition of thechloracetophenone takes place, the evolved lachrymating gases will bepractically undecomposed as they pass out of the candle.

In the following claims, the term gas is used to include substanceswhich are in the gaseous phase as well as substances which are commonlytermed smokes, clouds,

vapors, mists, etc., and' combinations of these.

The present invention is not limited to the specific details set forthin the foregoing examples which should be construed as illustrative andnot by way of limitation, and in view of the numerous modificationswhich may be effected therein without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention, it is desired that only such limitations beimposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A composition for producing an effective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, a lachrymating organic compoundnot readily volatile at ordinary temperatures which lachrymates-at acon- The - prising a nitrated organic body which burns at a temperaturesufficient to volatilize said halogen derivative of acetophenone but below that at which the said halogen derivative of acetophenone willdecompose within the time required for said volatilization.

5. A composition 'for producing an efi'ective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, a lachrymating organic compoundnot readily volatile at ordinary temperatures and having intimatelydistributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose andnitroglycerine.

6. A composition for producing an effec-' tive concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophenone havingintimately distributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose.

7. A composition for producing an effective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, an oxidizing agent intimatelydistributed and associated with an excess of a lachrymating agent whichlachrymates at a concentration below 0.01 milligram per liter in threeminutes and adapted to enter into combination with said oxidizing agentand yield sufiicient heat by such combination to volatilize theremainder of said lachrymator.

8.. A composition for producing effective concentration of alachrymating gas in nonpersistent form, an oxidizing agent intimatelydistributed and associated with an excess of a halogen derivative ofacetophe none adaptedto enter into combination with the halogenderivative of acetophenone and yield sufiicient heat by such combinationto volatilize the remainder of said chloracetoj phenone.

9. A composition for producing an eifective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, an oxidizing agent intimatelydistributed and associated with an excess of chloracetophenone adaptedto enter into combination with chloracetophenone and yield suflicientheat by such combination to volatilize the remainder of saidchloracetophenone.

ture sufiicient to volatilize said lachrymator but below that at whichthe lachrymator will decompose within the time required for saidvolatilization and an anti-acid for preventing or retardingdecomposition of the lachrymator and fuel.

11. A composition for producing an cflective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophen'one havingintimatelydistributed therethru a fuel which burns at a temperaturesufficient-to volatilize said chloracetophenone but below that at whichthe chloracetophenone will decompose within the time required for saidvolatilization and an anti-acid for preventing or retardingdecomposition of the mixture of chloracetophenone and fuel.

12. A composition for producing an effective concentrationof alachrymating gas 1n non-persistent form, alachrymating organic compoundwhich lachrymates at a concen tration below 0.01 milligram per liter inthree minutes and not readily volatile at ordinary temperatures andhaving intimately distributed therethru a fuel co1nprisingnitrocellulose and nitroglycerine and an anti-acid for preventing orretarding decomposition of the mixture of lachrymator and fuel.

-13. A composition for producing an eifec-- tive concentration of a; gasin non-persistent form, a lachrymating halogen derivative ofacetophenone and having intimately distributed therethrough a fuelcomprising a nitrated organic body which burns at a tomperaturesufiicient to volatilize said halogen derivative of acetophenonebut below that at which the said halogen derivative of acetophenone willdecompose within the time required for said volatilization and ananti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture ofthe halogen derivative of acetophenone andfuel;

14. A composition for' producing an effective concentration of alachrymating gas in non-persistent form, chloracetophenone havingintimately distributed therethru a fuel comprising nitrocellulose and ananti-acid for preventing or retarding decomposition of the mixture ofchloracetophenone and fuel.

DONALD B. BRADNER.

